PTAKMIGAN. 87 



entire surface- is covered with snow, and Providence fur- 

 nishes these birds with well-filled storehouses during the 

 time of dearth. 



The young birds are fed also at first with insects, which the 

 parent birds scratch for among the loose earth and lichens. 

 In the crops of the Ptarmigan sand and small stones are 

 frequently discovered. Snow seems a cooling requisite to 

 the birds in question, for they go in search of it during the 

 summer months, in lieu of water, to allay their thirst : this 

 may justly be considered as one great reason why these birds 

 do not descend into the valleys beyond the snowy regions. 



The Ptarmigan, which is apparently the only living 

 creature that chooses the dreary and barren locality it does 

 for the employment of love-making, may be seen perched 

 on the edge of some awful abyss, early in the spring, ut- 

 tering its umnelodious call-note ; and as soon as the bird 

 has found a mate, the pair look for a convenient spot where 

 to form the nest, and where the female may deposit her eggs : 

 each pair of Ptarmigans keep to their own chosen spot, 

 and allow no intrusion from any neighbours. 



The place chosen for a nest is generally a slight hollow 

 behind a stone, rock, or heath plant : sometimes a deposit of 

 lichens and bents forms the lining of the hollow or nest, and at 

 other times these are dispensed with. The number of eggs 

 that are found in one nest varies from seven to twelve. In 

 the month of June the female begins to lay, and by the 

 beginning of July commences sitting, which lasts for three 

 weeks ; she sits very close, and the male bird remains during 

 that time very near to the nest in the most dejected position, 

 perched on a stone or shelf of the rock. If any danger ap- 

 proaches too near to the hen bird, the male flies off, and 

 the female follows him quietly. The male bird enters 

 into none of the breeding concerns, for the female brines 

 up her young brood even after the male has been captured 



